LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 181 



gradually to receive into its bosom all other churches, 

 sects, and persuasions, with " unanimity of belief and per- 

 fect brotherhood." 



After a certain probation, Joe was led in body and spirit 

 to the mountain by the angel who first appeared to him ; 

 was pointed out the position of the wonderful book, which 

 was covered by a flat stone, on which would be found two 

 round pebbles, called Urini and Thummim, and through 

 the agency of which the mystic characters inscribed on the 

 pages of the book were to be deciphered and translated. 

 Joe found the spot indicated without any difficulty, cleared 

 away the earth, and discovered a hollow place formed by 

 four flat stones, on removing the topmost one of which 

 sundry plates of brass presented themselves, covered with 

 quaint and antique carving ; on the top lay Urim and 

 Thummim (commonly known to the Mormons as Mum- 

 mum and Thumnmm, the pebbles of wonderful virtue), 

 through which the miracle of reading the plates of brass 

 was to be performed. 



Joe Smith, on whom the mantle of Moses had so sud- 

 denly fallen, carefully removed the plates and hid them, 

 burying himself in woods and mountains whilst engaged in 

 the work of translation. However, he made no secret of 

 the important task imposed upon him, nor of the great 

 work to which he had been called. Numbers at once 

 believed him, but not a few were deaf to belief, and openly 

 derided him. Being persecuted (as the sect declares, at the 

 instigation of the authorities), and many attempts being 

 made to steal his precious treasure, Joe one fine night packed 

 his plates in a sack of beans, bundled them into a Jersey 

 waggon, and made tracks for the West. Here he completed 

 the great work of translation, and not long after gave to 

 the world the " Book of Mormon," a work as bulky as the 

 Bible, and called " of Mormon," for so was the prophet 

 named by whose hand the history of the lost tribes had 

 been handed down in the plates of brass thus miraculously 

 preserved for thousands of years, and brought to light 

 through the agency of Joseph Smith. 



The fame of the Book of Mormon spread over all Arnei- 



